The city of neighborhoods is steeped in local history. Long-time residents of Bridgeport, Bronzeville or Uptown are likely to know a story or two from the old days about their piece of Chicago. But what if your neighborhood wasn't really much of a neighborhood until the last couple of decades?
Theses days, the South Loop conjures up gleaming high-rises and urban renewal. But it too has a long and storied past. The South Loop Historical Society has sprung up to preserve that history, and tomorrow it will launch a virtual history museum with photos, stories and public events.
Eight Forty-Eight's Gabriel Spitzer recently toured the neighborhood with John Thomas. He's director of public relations for East-West University, which is spearheading the project. He says the South Loop was often the first place newcomers would set foot in Chicago.